When the San Antonio Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, it changed their franchise forever.
Widely considered the best prospect since LeBron James 20 years ago, Wembley has somehow been better than advertised for the Spurs, racking up a list of accolades that could include Defensive Player of the Year and even MVP at season's end if he's able to meet the minimum game threshold.
But how valuable is Vembanayama in the eyes of the Spurs and talent evaluators around the NBA? Well, according to The Ringer's Bill Simmons' opinion on his eponymous podcast, he would prefer Wembey over all four top picks in this year's class.
"Hypothetically, would you prefer Wemby or the top two picks in this draft? By far Wemby," Simmons said. "Here's a better question: Wembey or the top three picks in this draft? I'd still take Wembey. Wembey or the top four picks in the draft. I get them all. I might even take Caleb Wilson. I'd still take Wembey."
So what would it take to pry Wembanyama away from the Spurs in terms of 2026 NBA Draft capital? Well, Simmons gave his number, keeping in mind that if he was to take home the "Alien" phone, he'd need an entire starting lineup's worth of rookie stars.
“The answer to that is the top five picks in this draft,” Simmons said. "Now I have your attention. Now I can have Peterson and Acuff. I can have Caleb Wilson, DiBuntsa and Boozer. I have the entire starting five for Wembley. Now I'm thinking about it."
Unfortunately for Simmons, there is no Voltron-style trade that could secure San Antonio Peterson, Acuff, Wilson, DiBantsa and Boozer, so the Spurs will have to stick with Wembanyama as their franchise cornerstone for now. Luckily, few fans in San Antonio will be bothered by that fact, because when you have a player who can become the best player to ever play the game, your future looks pretty bright.
